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For five hours Saturday, a dozen Scranton residents vying for an empty spot on city council shared their thoughts on what to do about Scranton’s financial difficulties.

Candidates hoping to fill the council vacancy created by Jack Loscombe, who stepped down July 10, introduced themselves to the councilmen, outlining their commitment to the city and their background. Councilmen asked broad questions about their suitability for the job, including if there was any reason they could not put in the time or stand up to public scrutiny.

But it was Scranton's finances — especially the ailing pension fund, a 0.75 percent commuter tax now being considered by council and the $22 million and growing in back-pay debt owed to its police and firefighter unions — that served as a touchstone at Saturday's proceedings.

Commuter tax

The city is at a crossroads, said Wayne Evans, 60, Alder Street, a real estate agent.

“The next 18 months will set the stage for what happens over the next generation,” he said. Past recovery plans failed, he said, because city leaders cherry-picked ideas from them. The “Amoroso Plan,” developed for the city by consultant Henry Amoroso, needs to be implemented in full to have an effect.

Mr. Evans said he has come to terms with the need for a commuter tax, but said it has to be paired with pension reform. Mr. Evans cited his lengthy record of service on city boards and civic groups as evidence he could hit the ground running as a council member.

Lee Morgan, 55, Stafford Avenue, a truck driver, noted that he has been a student of city government for two decades.

“The city has gone in the wrong direction because they don’t want to answer the problem,” he said. The commuter tax, he said, allows the city to “mistreat people from outlying areas.” The city should be working more closely with the Greater Scranton Chamber of Commerce and outlying communities.

Lawrence Pugliese, 47, Richmont Street, has advanced degrees in law and engineering. The head of the union representing faculty at Lackawanna College, he grimly outlined the city’s problem: dwindling tax base, blight, poverty, unemployment, pension insolvency and business and resident taxes that drive people away.

“These are complicated problems and I don’t know how to get rid of them,” he said. “Other councils have tried. But I will examine the issues from all sides.”

Growing the tax base

Others interviewed by councilmen Saturday thought city leaders should focus on improvements that would attract businesses and residents to the struggling city instead of hiking taxes on those already here.

Blanca Fernandez, 48, North Main Avenue, talked about her work advocating for the Hispanic population. The legal assistant said she would reach out to marginalized populations in the city, noting that Spanish-speaking residents of Scranton own homes, operate businesses and pay taxes. “My motto is: make a difference, not excuses.” Taxes, she said, penalize people who stay in the city.

Alan O’Neill, 41, Church Avenue, owner of a small construction company, said the city needs more businesses and people to expand the tax base.

“If you ask enough, you will get some yeses,” he said. The commuter tax may inhibit businesses from coming in, he said. Beautification projects would remove blight and spruce the city up.

Tim Perry, 40, Birney Avenue, a district manager for a restaurant chain and past city council candidate, touted his 20 years of experience in human resources, marketing and management. The city needs to control costs, balance the budget and promote home ownerships, he said.

Working with unions

Other candidates said city leaders must work with the unions, while others suggested creative ways to raise cash to help the city.

Bob Palmitessa, 53, North Lincoln Avenue, a union electrician, said blue collar people aren’t getting the proper representation and said the elderly need a voice. He decried the tax increases, saying they should be gradual rather than delayed and piled on all at once. He said the unions expressed a willingness to negotiate.

“Everyone should give a little,” he said.

Joseph F. Rickard, 57, Emily Avenue, worked as a trucking manager and noted that he now works as a salesman for a non-union company. He said city union contracts must be renegotiated to minimize financial damage to the city.

“I’m not here to make friends,” he said, repeating a philosophy from his management days. “I’m here to make money and keep us in business.”

Robert Weber, 60, Pittston Avenue, the retired head of an International Brotherhood of Teamsters local, pointed to his experience in collective bargaining on behalf of union and his stewardship over pension boards and credit unions. More recently, he worked on the Lackawanna County Government Study Commission and runs a trophy business.

Tom Schuster, 33, North Main Avenue, a school therapist, said the city needs to discuss concessions with the union and move the pension to a hybrid, pooled or group pension. He suggested looking at how other governments are dealing with the pension problem to generate ideas on how to fix Scranton's.

“We have to get out of this situation first before we can make the city an attractive place to live,” he said.

Michael Bouselli, 21, Crisp Avenue, an undergraduate student at Penn State University, proposed an alternative to the commuter tax, where residents from outside the city make a small copay when they use facilities such as the courthouses. Mr. Bouselli, who has founded a lawn care and auto detailing business and serves as manager of residential real estate company Bouselli Properties, said he would commute from University Park in State College if selected for the job.

Joseph Matyjevich 48, Farr Street, a project leader at Sanofi Pasteur, said the city needs to view the “glass as half full” and be more optimistic. He made an oblique reference to a plan which would require the cooperation of state and federal officials that could generate between $8 and $10 million for the city. Mr. Matyjevich has been long active in neighborhood associations, parent-teacher groups and is a member of the inactive Scranton Parking Authority.

What's next

All together, 13 people applied for consideration to fill Mr. Loscombe's council seat, which expires in 2015.

Barbara Cook, 62, South Cameron Avenue, the first candidate on the agenda, was not interviewed. She phoned City Hall to report she would not be available, officials said.

Also Saturday, Mr. Pugliese told councilmen he paid outstanding garbage fees totaling $116.64, listed in the city’s database of delinquent trash fees. He added that he had no idea he owed anything until he saw the Times-Tribune story on candidates Saturday morning.

The trash fee database, accessible from the city’s website www.scrantonpa.gov, listed two other candidates as owing garbage fees. As of the end of the day Friday, the database listed a Barbara Cook of South Cameron Avenue as owing $3,110.99 in outstanding trash fees for six years between 2002 and 2013. It also listed a Joseph Matyjevich of Farr Street owing $ 3,534.40 for five years between 2002 to 2007.

Council President Robert McGoff was pleased with the process Saturday.

“We heard from some concerned and capable candidates and I’m confident that from this list we will able to identify the person for the job," he said.

The council is expected to make a decision by their next meeting, slated for Thursday, July 24.

Contact the writer: dfalchek@timesshamrock.com

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